EDITOR’S NOTE:
In this week’s edition of The Independent, we published this story including information from the OPP naming a 21 year old Petrolia man as the person charged in the accident which lead to serious injuries.
That information from the OPP was not correct.
In fact the 21 year old named, Michael Paisley, stopped to help the cyclist who had been severely injured.
The retirees family say they are grateful for his quick response and his calming manner during a time of need.
The OPP have also apologized to Paisley’s family for the error.
The Independent regrets the error and has also apologized to Mr. Paisely’s family.
He was doing all the right things, but that still was not enough to save a Petrolia cyclist from serious injuries.
Three weeks ago, Lambton OPP charged a Petrolia man with careless driving after a cyclist was hit near Lorne C. Henderson Conservation Area early on Saturday morning. Police say the cyclist was hit from behind by an Oldsmobile. Police say a car believed to be involved in the incident was found a short time later on Petrolia line.
The man faces charges of carless driving and failing to remain at the scene in connection with the accident.
The news release said the injured cyclist was taken to hospital.
We’re just learning now the extent of the man’s injuries. The wife of the cyclist – who didn’t wish to have his name printed yet – told The Independent the 65 year-old broke his pelvis, three ribs and crushed several vertebrae in his back. Over the weekend, he had to be admitted to hospital because blood clots had formed in his lungs.
The woman says her husband, who rode about 15 km a day, was doing everything right. “He was wearing his helmet, a florescent green vest, he was riding where he should be between the white line and the gravel – right where he should be.”
The cyclist’s wife says the mirror of a car hit his bottom and broke off. It fell under his bike tires and the cyclist flew onto the cars windshield. The woman says when her husband hit the ground he looked for the car and noticed the driver didn’t even touch the breaks. “When he landed he saw that the car didn’t put any lights on – the car didn’t even try to stop.”
The only reason, she says, he eventually stopped was because
is tire was flat.
“He caused all this damage and he didn’t know he hit anyone.”
The woman says her husband is in a great deal of pain and is not out of the woods yet. And she says he will never be the same again and will be unable to do the work on the farm he loves.
“It’s wheat season right now, and we’re combining. It is frustrating to him that he can’t be there…the neighbours are helping but it is still frustrating. He’s not going to be able to do what he did before. It’s a lot of stress on everybody.”
And she says, even through the pain, her husband wants to remind drivers to be watchful for cyclists. “He wants people to know that you’re doing everything right…you can still get hurt.
“He wants drivers to watch out for bicyclists….be vigilant.”